Ulster, Dutchess jail officials stand by medical provider

KINGSTON, N.Y. -- Law enforcement officials in Ulster and Dutchess counties are standing behind the company that provides medical services to inmates at their county jails in the face of a state Attorney General's Office investigation of the firm.

Ulster County Sheriff Paul Van Blarcum said Correctional Medical Care Inc. has provided medical care to the county jail's inmate population since before he was elected in 2006 and has always done an outstanding job.

Dutchess County Jail Administrator George Krom echoed that opinion.

"We are satisfied with the work that they do for us," said Krom. "I'm very happy with Correctional Medical Care and the service they provide."

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Over the past three years, the state Commission of Corrections Medical Review Board has issued a series of reports in which it placed some blame for the suicide deaths of inmates at Dutchess, Ulster and other county jails on the Pennsylvania-based firm. In 2009, two inmates committed suicide at the Ulster County Jail. At the Dutchess County Jail, an inmate killed himself in 2010 and another inmate committed suicide while in the jail in 2011.

Since April 2009, Brad Ebel has been marketing director for Correctional Medical Care. Ebel was Ulster County Jail corrections superintendent from 1977 to 2009.

The state Attorney General's Office and the state Education Department have both launched investigations into the company.

Both Van Blarcum and Krom said they are unconcerned by the probes.

"When you compare our services and how they're done to all the other county facilities, I would have to say we are way above par," said Krom.

Krom said the Sheriff's Office recently entered into a new five-year contract with the firm that will run through 2017.

Van Blarcum said he expects to go out to bid in the next several weeks for medical service. It is likely, he said that Correctional Medical Care will be selected because they have historically been the lowest responsible bidder.

Other elected officials in both Ulster County and Dutchess County declined to comment because they were unaware of the investigations.